- Jonathan Taylor aims to get back into the RB1 conversation: After three straight seasons finishing outside the RB1 range, 2025 fantasy managers remain hopeful that Taylor still has top-tier fantasy potential.
- Bucky Irving delivered a very impressive rookie season: As a smaller fourth-round pick, Irving exceeded all expectations in his rookie season, setting a high bar for his second year.
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Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
This fantasy football article series breaks down the toughest draft-day decisions facing fantasy managers, using Underdog’s average draft position (ADP) as a guide. Each installment compares similarly ranked players at the same position, using key stats from previous seasons and contextual factors — including team situation — to identify the better pick.
Today’s matchup will highlight Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving to determine the best near the middle of the second round in 2025 fantasy drafts.
Jonathan Taylor (RB8) vs. Bucky Irving (RB9)
Taylor missed three games in 2024, marking his third consecutive season finishing outside the top 12 fantasy running backs after his overall RB1 finish in 2021. However, he closed the season strong with three straight top-five finishes from Weeks 16 to 18, offering some hope that he can return to elite form in 2025. Still, durability concerns are becoming a more significant factor.
Irving exceeded expectations during his rookie campaign, finishing as the RB15 overall in 2024 despite not securing a full-time role until later in the season. After ranking as the RB36 through the first five weeks, Irving surged to RB8 in PPR formats from Week 6 onward, showcasing high-end potential if he retains the starting job heading into 2025.
UTILIZATION IN THE RUNNING GAME
When active, Taylor was the undisputed lead back in all situations for Indianapolis. Even in a year marked by missed time, he still finished as the team’s clear leader in total touches. Taylor averaged 22.8 opportunities per game, second only to Saquon Barkley (24.0) among all running backs in 2024. However, he wasn’t as efficient as in past seasons, ranking just 28th in fantasy points per touch (0.78) among backs with at least 10 opportunities per game.
In contrast, Bucky Irving was one of the most efficient backs on a per-touch basis. Despite averaging only 14.6 opportunities per game across the season, he ranked eighth in fantasy points per touch (0.99) and fifth in fantasy points per snap (0.49). Expectations are high for Irving to take on a larger workload in 2025, mirroring the increased usage he saw late last season. From Weeks 1-9, he averaged 11.9 opportunities per game, but that jumped to 18.9 from Week 10 through the end of the regular season.
UTILIZATION IN THE PASSING GAME
Taylor’s value as a receiver has never been a major part of his fantasy appeal, which remained true in 2024. He posted a career-low 18 receptions and ranked last among qualifying running backs in PFF receiving grade (36.9). With a mobile quarterback under center, the frequency of checkdown opportunities remains limited, which is likely to keep Taylor’s receiving volume in check again in 2025.
In contrast, both Buccaneers running backs thrived in the passing game thanks to Baker Mayfield’s willingness to check the ball down. Irving (47) and Rachaad White (51) both finished inside the top 10 in receptions among running backs. Tampa Bay clearly emphasized running back targets, ranking second in total targets to the position (116), trailing only New Orleans. Even with a new offensive coordinator coming in, Irving should remain a key part of the passing game, especially after finishing second in PFF receiving grade among running backs last season.
UTILIZATION IN SCORING RANGE
Taylor ranked tied for 11th in the league with 22 goal-to-go carries in 2024 — easily leading the Colts — and that role isn’t expected to change in 2025 as long as he stays healthy. He converted six of those attempts into touchdowns and was stuffed on just 27.3% of them, the 12th-best rate among 37 players with at least 10 goal-to-go attempts.
Irving also led his team in goal-line carries, handling 20 such attempts and scoring five of his eight rushing touchdowns in those situations. Given his smaller stature, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see Tampa Bay lean on the larger Rachaad White near the goal line, but the team stuck with Irving, and it paid off. He posted one of the best stuffed run rates in goal-to-go scenarios (25.0%), which is particularly impressive for a back of his size.
TEAM-LEVEL SITUATION
The Colts held the edge in the run game last season and could do so again in 2025, ranking sixth in team run rate, fourth in run-blocking grade and 10th in red-zone plays, all ahead of Tampa Bay. That strong rushing environment remains a valuable advantage for Taylor, especially given his consistent volume.
Tampa Bay’s offense is expected to be more productive overall than Indianapolis', which could boost Irving’s fantasy upside as the Bucs’ lead back. While the offensive line graded out around league average in run blocking, Irving’s elusiveness helped offset that. He led all running backs with 4.03 yards after contact per attempt in 2024, showing his ability to create independently.
POTENTIAL 2025 BACKFIELD COMPETITION
Rookie DJ Giddens has a chance to carve out a passing-down role in Indianapolis, especially given Taylor’s limitations in that area. Giddens was notably productive as a receiver in college, ranking in the 51st percentile in career targets per route run and 66th percentile in career yards per route run among running back prospects since 2017. That profile makes him a logical fit to help lighten Taylor’s receiving workload.
Despite Irving’s late-season emergence as the Buccaneers’ lead back, Rachaad White still averaged 13.3 opportunities per game, 30th among running backs who played at least 10 games. While Irving is expected to take on a slightly larger role, similar to what we saw in the back half of 2024, there’s still a strong chance White remains involved enough to cap Irving’s ceiling, especially with a new offensive coordinator stepping in.
While the final decision is yours, don’t go into your draft blind. Check out PFF’s latest fantasy football rankings to see exactly where Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving and the rest of your targets stack up heading into 2025.
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